Sport Garment Having an Improved Comfortableness

ABSTRACT

A garment for sport activities prevailingly made of substantially inextensible materials comprises additional flaps ( 140 ) of extensible elastic materials supplementing the conventional stretchable inserts ( 130 ). When the wearer of the garment is of anormal anatomic typology, the supplementary flaps ( 140 ) are concealed inside the garment but are adapted to be freely exposed on the garment outer surface by a manual actuation of zippers ( 135 ) in case of a different anatomic typology. Each additional flap ( 140 ) is attached at a first lateral side ( 136 ) to an insert ( 130 ) and at the opposite lateral side ( 137 ) to a zone of the garment wich is made of substantially inextensible materials. Thus, the garment fits adequately and comfortably to the wearer&#39;s body also in correspondence of parts of the body which can be of various shapes and/or dimensions.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to garments utilized in different sportactivities which should fit about the wearers' bodies. Motociclistssuits (where a vest is inseparably joined to a pair of trousers extendeddownward up to the wearers' ankles), particularly those used by pilotsduring high speed races, are one typical, though not unique, example ofsuch garments which is described here below.

STATE OF ART

In spite of the various sizes and variants offered for sale to thepotential customers, it is almost impossible that the motorcyclists'suits fit tightly (so as to not affect their aeroynamic features) aboutany zone of the bodies without annoying in any manner the wearers.

This is due not only to the fact that the various zones of wearers'bodies, in particular the limbs, are extremely variable in shape anddimensions but also to the fact that that bodies are inevitably subjectto frequent variations of posture while the suit's wearers areperforming their sport activity. In both cases, the leather of whichmany parts of the suits are made, not to mention the protective partswhich are made of tough materials like metal or carbon fibers, caneasily cause some annoyance to the wearers.

The simple utilization of stretch fabrics, namely elastic materials, tomake inserts comprised in the suits' construction is well known in theart—for example as disclosed in the patent specification WO-A-2004039189 of the same Applicant—proved effective in respect of many aspectsbut not to eliminate the inconveniences due to by the big variability inthe shape and dimensions of wearers' limbs, particularly incorresponndence of the calves.

OBJECTS AND ESSENCE OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a main object of the present invention an improvedconstruction of said garments for sport activities which areprevailingly made with leather or other substantially inextensiblematerials, the improvements being of a nature ensuring an optimumfitness about all zones of the wearers' bodies, particularly incorrespondence of the calves, independently from their big variabilityin shape and dimensions.

Another object of the invention is to not make more complex, andpreferably to simplify the mass production of the garments with apossible reduction of the different the sizes with which the garmentsare offered for sale.

These and other objects are attained by a garment for sport activities,such as for example a suit for motorcyclists, comprising a pair of longtrousers having a manually enlargeable stretchable insert incorrespondence of each calf and other characterizing features accordingto the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred though not exclusive embodiment of a garment for sportactivities will now be described for a better understanding of theinvention and its advantages. Once again it is confirmed that thedescription of a suit for motorcyclists is a mere example and not alimitation of the field of the invention.

In the herewith enclosed drawing:

FIG. 1 is an overall simplified lateral view of a suit for motorcyclistsincorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial view of the calf region of a leg of this suit, asseen from the direction of arrow V in FIG. 1, the view showing a firstconfiguration of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a second configuration of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 showing a third configurationof the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The lateral view of FIG. 1 shows schematically a suit for motorcyclistswhich, in a well known manner, is a garment comprising an upper part inform of a vest 100 and a lower part in form of a pair of long trousers110, which are inseparably joined to one another by a stretchable belt120 restricted to the rear zone of the suit. Both parts 100, 110 areprevailingly made of leather and/or other substantially inextensiblematerials and are commonly provided with protective parts, for examplein correspondence of shoulders, elbows and knees. These parts, per sewell known in the art and made of rigid and/or abrasion resistantmaterials, are not shown since they do not affect the present invention.

The vest 100 includes a collar 102, a pair of front flaps (of which onlyone, identified by reference numeral 104, is visible), closable by azipper (not visible), a rear flap 106 and a pair of sleeves (of whichonly one, identified by reference numeral 108, is visible). The lowerapertures 114 at the bottom end of the trousers' legs (of which onlyone, identified by reference numeral 112, is visible) are incorrespondence of the wearer's ankles.

As already briefly mentioned, the belt 120 is made of stretch elasticmaterial and arranged in correspondence of the waist of the suit. Threesewing seams, namely one substantially horizontal identified byreference numeral 107 and two vertical (of which only one, identified byreference numeral 109, is visible) are used to attach the belt 120 tothe vest 100 while another substantially horizontal sewing seam 115 isused to attach the belt 120 to the trousers 110.

According to the invention, in the region of the calves, namely in therear zone comprised between the lower apertures 114 and the knees 116,each leg 112 of the trousers 110 has an insert 130 made of stretchableelastic textile material.

From FIGS. 2-4 it can be seen that the stretchable insert 130 is of anelongated shape like the calf and attached at its periphery to theportion made of leather of the trousers' leg 112. To this purpose, afirst transversal sewing seam 131 is arranged just above the knee 116, asecond sewing transversal seam 132 close to the lower apertures 114 atthe bottom end of the trousers and a third longitudinal sewing seam 133along the outer side of the calf. Up to this point of the descriptionthe suit is of a fully conventional construction and further details arenot necessary.

According to a main feature of the present invention, two short sewingseams 134A, 134B and a zipper 135 are, provided to attach thestretchable insert 130 along the inner side of the calf, namely oppositeto said third sewing seam 133. The zipper 135 is of the semi autolock-type (for example YKK no. 3 Semi Auto Lock Zipper CFC39 DS5YGC5P12) and arranged between the upper short seam 134A and the lowershort seam 134B so as to normally conceal an additional flap 140. For abetter clarity, the said flap 140 (which is only visible in FIGS. 3 and4) is of a black colour in the attached drawing. The flap 140 is arectangular strip of textile stretchable material (which is preferably,of a lower thickness than insert 130) arranged in the interior of thetrousers' leg 112. The flap 140 has its longer opposite sides attachedby sewing seams to the two textile ribbons 136 and 137 bearing the rowsof teeth of the zipper 135 and the sliding element 138 readilyaccessible by the wearer of the suit. The first ribbon 136 of the zipper135 is in turn attached to the stretchable insert 130 along the side ofthe calf opposite to said third sewing seam 133, while the second ribbon137 of the zipper 135 is in turn attached to the bottom part made ofleather of the trousers' leg 112.

FIGS. 2-4 show three configurations of the trousers' legs 112corresponding to three different anatomic typologies of the wearer'scalves.

The configuration shown in FIG. 2 corresponds to a suit worn by a personhaving a pair of calves of such a shape and dimensions that theextensibility of the inserts 130 is sufficient to ensure that thetrousers 110 fit adequately and comfortably about his/her,legs, so thatthe zippers 135 are fully locked and their sliding elements 138 in theirraised positions, namely close to the bottom ends of the upper stitchingseams 134A. In this configuration, which is the normal case, theadditional flaps 140 are wholly concealed inside the trousers' legs 112.

The configuration shown in FIG. 3 corresponds to a wearer having a pairof calves of a bigger shape and dimensions than the wearer correspondingto FIG. 2, so that the extensibility of the inserts 130 is notsufficient to ensure that the trousers 110 fit comfortably about his/herlegs. In this case, according to the present invention, an use is madeof the additional flap 140 by making it partially exposed at the rearouter surface of the trousers' legs 112. In fact, it suffices for thewearer to partially unlock the zippers 130 through a downwards actuationof the sliding elements 138 up to a point which is quite clearlyselectable in a free manner by each individual wearer according tohis/her anatomic typology. In the selected point the zipper 135 is againlocked and, thanks to the partial extensibility of the additional flaps140 in addition to the entire extensibility of the inserts 130, thetrousers 110 will fit adequately and comfortably about the wearer'slegs. Thanks to the use of a zipper of the semi-automatic lock type, theconfiguration remains unchanged until it is time for the wearer toundress.

The configuration shown in FIG. 4 corresponds to a wearer having a pairof calves of a truly big shape and dimensions, so that not even theconfiguration of shown in FIG. 3 can ensure that the trousers 110 fitcomfortably about his/her legs. In this case, according to the presentinvention, the extensibility of the additional flap 140 is used in itsentirety by making it fully exposed at the rear surface of the trousers'legs 112. In fact, it suffices for the wearer to unlock the zippers 130through a downwards actuation of the sliding elements 138 whichterminates in their lowermost positions, namely close to the upper endsof the bottom stitching seams 134B. In those positions, thanks to theentire extensibility of the inserts 130 and of the additional flaps 140,the trousers 110 will fit adequately and comfortably about the wearer'slegs.

Even if the preceding description refers to the use of additional flapsmade of stretchable elastic materials which are used for a better fit ofthe suit in correspondence of the calves of an user, the presentinvention is also usable on the upper limbs (arms) and even of thebreast of a suit for motorcyclist or any other garment with similarrequirements.

The advantages of the present invention, which are easily derived fromthe preceding description, can be briefly summarized as follows:

-   -   a) independently of its overall shape and dimensions, the        wearer's body is adequately and comfortably fit about by the        garment;    -   b) for the manufacturer it is possible to reduce the total        number of sizes and variants made available for sale, provided        that a wider variety of wearers' bodies can be satisfied by the        same size in a range of garments.

Other embodiment and variants of the present invention are envisagedwithin the field of the appended claims, for example the replacement ofthe zippers 135 by other adjustable closure means, like series ofbuttons, in particular stud buttons.

1. Garment for sport activities which is prevailingly made ofsubstantially inextensible materials but also comprises inserts (130)made of stretchable elastic materials adapted to fit about parts ofvarious shapes and/or dimensions of the body of the wearer, for examplethe calves, characterized in that at least one of said inserts (130) issupplemented by an additional flap (140), also made of stretchabletextile material, which is normally concealed inside the garment but canbe freely exposed at the outer surface of the garment through the manualactuation by the wearer of adjustable closure means (135) with whichsaid additional flap (140) is attached at one side (136) to the insert(130) and at the opposite side (137) to a part (112) of the garment madeof substantially inextensible materials.
 2. Garment for sport activitiesaccording to claim 1, comprising a vest (100) inseparably joined to apair of trousers (110) with long legs (112) so as to constitute a suit,for example for motorcyclists, characterized in that the garment isprovided with said inserts (130) supplemented by the additional flaps(140) in correspondence of the lower limbs of the wearer.
 3. Garment forsport activities according to claim 2, characterized in that the garmentis provided with said inserts (130) supplemented by additional flaps(140) in correspondence of the arms of the wearer.
 4. Garment for sportactivities according to claim 1, characterized in that the garment isprovided with said inserts (130) supplemented by additional flaps (140)in correspondence of the breast of the wearer
 5. Garment for sportactivities according to claim 1, characterized in that the garment isprovided with said inserts (130) supplemented by additional flaps (140)in correspondence of the calves of the wearer
 6. Garment for sportactivities according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjustableclosure means (135) of said additional flaps (140) are zippers (135),preferably of the semi-automatic lock type, so that the side (136) atwhich each additional flap (140) is attached to the associatedstretchable insert (130) and the opposite side (137) at which the flap(140) is attached to a part (112) of the garment made of substantiallyinextensible materials, consist in the two textile ribbons bearing thetwo rows of teeth of said zipper (135).
 7. Garment for sport activitiesaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the adjustable closure means(135) of each of said additional flaps (140) are a row of buttons,preferably snap button.